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The Skinny Model Debate Continues: Gemma Ward A "Roll Model"?

It's no wonder so many models are reportedly starving themselves. Gemma Ward, who recently took a break from being a mannequin, is scheduled to be back on the scene this season--but some people don't think she's looking very runway ready. In fact, Australia's Sunday Telegraph plastered its front page with photos from the supermodel's recent beach vacation, calling her a "roll model" and blaming her weight gain on the death of former beau Heath Ledger.

The paper says she was "barely recognizable" and believed to be "exercising madly" with a personal trainer to try and get herself back in cover girl shape. As Frockwriter tells it, she's been struggling with her weight since before Ledger's death (some rather unkind bloggers didn't take too well to her appearance in a Chanel swimsuit in 2007), but I still cannot for the life of me see how any of this justifies the Telegraph's "Shocking pics" caption.

"I was really surprised when I saw her, considering what she used to look like - I had to do a double-take after I saw how much weight she had put on,'' one onlooker told The Sunday Telegraph.

After Ledger's death, Ward announced that she planned to take a year off to go trekking in Nepal and spend time with friends and family.

"She knows she did let herself go during the year, but she had fun doing it, just being herself and doing whatever she wanted,'' one friend, who did not want to be named, said.

This doesn't sound like the warm welcome Ms. Ward was probably hoping for with her return to the runway. In fact, if pictures of my post-holiday beer belly (red wine belly, really) were plastered all over the New York Post with snarky commentary, I'd probably make the exact opposite of a comeback--I'd go into hibernation!

What do you guys think? Check out the photos at the Telegraph and then weigh in here. Are they really "shocking"? Or is this just your average twentysomething who has gained a few pounds? How can models be expected to live a healthy, normal life when a few ice cream sundaes that gave gone to their hips suddenly become front page news? Is the fashion industry making unrealistic demands of its models? Or is the media to blame for creating stories like this one? And will there ever be a solution? Discuss.